1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to of sporting goods.
More particularly, the present invention relates to of tennis. In particular the present invention relates to an apparatus to improve the bounce performance of cold tennis balls.
It is known that the bounce performance of a tennis ball varies approximately forty percent as the temperature of the ball drops from a temperature of seventy degrees Fahrenheit to a temperature of thirty degrees Fahrenheit. Therefore when a ball is cold, the bounce performance of the ball is significantly diminished making it difficult to play tennis. This is a universal problem experienced by all players of the sport.
2. Background Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,372,095 (issued to De Satnick on Feb. 8, 1983) discloses a device using a needle to pierce a tennis ball and inject a gas into the ball to adjust the pressure within the ball.
In contrast, the tennis ball conditioner of the instant application utilizes heat to increase the internal pressure of the ball and to heat the entire composition of the ball to improve the bounce performance of the ball.
There is no invasive puncturing of the ball and no possibility of subsequent leaking due to the piercing of the ball membrane.
Thus, the inventive tennis ball conditioner of the instant application solves the cold tennis ball bounce performance problem by rapidly heating tennis balls to the desired operating temperature.